Shoe sole edge wheeling machine



April 9, 1968 R. L. VERREAULT 3,376,593

SHOE SOLE EDGE WHEELING MACHINE Filed Jan. 28, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ROBERT L. VERREAULT ATTORNEY April 9, 1968 R. VERREAULT 3,376,593

SHOE SOLE EDGE WHEELING MACHINE Filed Jan. 28, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ROBERT L. VERREAULT '5. I p l ATTORNEY Aprii 1968 R. 1.. VERREAULT 3,37'6593 SHOE sou: EDGE WHEELING MACHINE Filed Jan. 28, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 3

INVENTOR. ROBERT L. VERREAU LT ATTORNEY April 9, 1968 R. L. VERREAULT SHOE SOLE EDGE WHEELING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 28,- 1966 INVENTOR. ROBERT L. VERREAULT ATTbR N EY United States Patent 3,376,593 SHOE SOLE EDGE WHEELING MACHLNE Robert L. Verreault, Lewiston, Maine, assignor to The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Uhio Filed Jan. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 523,761 9 Claims. (Cl. 12-32) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wheeling machine is diclosed for excising the material from the wheeled edge of a non-leather unitary shoe sole and heel. The cutting is accomplished by a fly cutter located beneath the work platform and cutting through an opening in the work platform as the inverted sole is driven over the opening.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for treating the edge of a shoe sole. In particular, it relates to a machine that cuts small excisions from the peripheral face of a shoe sole.

It has been common practice in the manufacture of shoes to provide the top edge of the leather sole with a series of indentations known as wheeling. The wheeling not only enhances the overall appearance of the shoe but also provides a convenient way of minimizing the visual appearance of the stitching that is generally a necessary part of the shoe construction. However, with the advent of new soling materials such as rubber and rubber-like compositions the old well established method of wheeling or impressing the indentations along the top edge of the shoe sole simply did not work with the nonleather materials. This was primarily because the newer materials possessed what may be referred to as an elastic memory. Consequently the wheeling or impressions that worked well with leather remained in the non-leather sole for a short period of time; then there would be a reversion back to the original unwheeled state.

The primary object of this invention is to provide apparatus and a method for wheeling the edge surface of a shoe sole.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that can Wheel the top peripheral section of a shoe sole with a variety of wheeling patterns.

An additional object of the instant invention is to provide a machine whose operation requires little skill and is capable of high production rates.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method for wheeling a shoe sole that has been molded in combination with a heel as an integral unit.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top 'view of the machine with a shoe sole positioned so that it can be worked upon;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view as seen from the level of the work table;

FIG. 3 is a view looking up from the bottom of the machine;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of a portion of the machine immediately over the cutter wheel;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing those parts of the machine that contact the shoe sole;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view looking at the edge of the wheeled shoe sole;

FIG. 7 is a view looking along the line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the wheeling pattern and how it can be varied by proper adjustment of the machine.

The invention comprises generally a flat work table of substantial rigidity and thickness that has mounted there- 3,375,593 Patented Apr. 9, 19268 from a rotatable cutter suspended below the work table in an adjustable manner so that it can protrude upward through an opening in the work table. Feed rolls working in a direction opposite to that of the cutter are positioned on both sides of said cutter. Top guide rolls are positioned above the work table for indexing the edge of a shoe sole there against. The top rolls have a rough surface and are power driven. A hold down roll is placed in an askew position with respect to the bottom rolls and the cutter. The askew positioned hold down and feed roll has a smooth surface and is also power driven in a direction that aids both the top and bottom rolls. All of the feed rolls are powered by a plurality of drive shafts which are coupled together to be synchronously driven by a common motor. The cutter is powered by an independent motor thus permitting a variation in cutter speed with respect to rolls which move and stabilize the shoe sole during the cutting or excising operation.

The method of placing a shoe sole top side down and cutting or excising the wheeling from below permits the wheeling of a shoe sole that is already molded in combination with a heel. The individual excisions have a cleaner and sharper appearance when they are removed by a sharp blow which is possible by employing a single cutting tool.

By utilizing the present invention the wheeling around the top edge of a shoe sole can be made to last for the life of the sole. A shoe sole made according to the present invention is not affected by temperature changes or by repeated inundations with water. The apparatus which achieves this new and desirable result can best be described by referring to the drawings in detail.

A work table 10 is shown in FIG. 1 and can be supported so that it is horizontal by any appropriate machine support framework. The framework has been purposely omitted since it is not the essence of the invention. That portion of FIG. 1 shown in solid lines is above work table 10 and that portion of the apparatus shown in dotted lines is below the work table. A shoe sole 11 is shown in a typical position where work can be done upon it. A top hold down feed roll 12 rests against the top of sole 11 and it is aligned so that by proper rotation it will not only hold the sole against edge or top feed rolls 13- but it will also advance the sole through the cutting operation provided by the apparatus. Top feed rolls 13 have their rotational axes aligned perpendicular to the plane of work table 10. Rolls 13 are provided on their surfaces with a rough grit or equivalent knurling so to facilitate the horizontal movement of sole 11 as it comes into contact therewith. Rolls 13 are mounted from a gear box 14 that is fed by a right angle drive assembly 15. The mechanism of gear box 14- is conventional and need not be described herein. Such gear boxes are standard items known as Circle Machine Feeders and are manufactured by the Circle Machine Company of Haverhill, Mass. Gear box 14 is supported by upright and anchor plate 16 which in turn is bolted to work table 10' by bolts 17. This assembly can be made adjustable as shown by the slotted holes through which bolts 17 pass. Drive assembly which transmits power to gear box 14 is journaled at its right end by upright 18. Bolts 19' serve as a convenient means for anchoring upright 18 to the top of work table 10.

Drive assembly 15 is powered by a chain 20 which is directed downward through opening 21 in work table 10. The top of chain 20 is trained over sprocket 22. Sprocket 22 is keyed to the end drive assembly 15. Axially inward from sprocket 22 is gear 23, the teeth of which engage gear 24. Gear 24 is securely anchored to the end of the drive assembly that powers holddown roll 12. This will be more fully described in conjunction with a subsequent drawing. Drive chain 20 also is trained over sprocket 25 which is mounted on the end of shaft 26. Also mounted on shaft 26 is sprocket 27. An external power source can i is shown in perspective both above and below work table i 10, drive assembly 28 can be seen as it progresses from upright 18 at the right end to hold down roll 12 at the left end. Near the left end, drive assembly 28 passes through an adjustable journal block 29 which in turn is adjustably mounted to cantilevered support arm 30.

Sup-port arm 30 is mounted at one end to upright 18 by bolts 31.

Adjustable journal block 29 is movable in a vertical direction by means of adjusting screw 32. Horizontal adjustment of block 29 is also attainable since the upper end of block 29 is bifurcated for sliding at 33 as can best be seen in FIG. 1. Thusit can be seen that it is possible to strategically locate hold-down roll 12 according to the demands of any sole thickness or size. Shaft 26 is suspended from the bottom of work table 10 and is journaled at the extreme right by block 34. Journal block 35 is positioned inboard from the right end of shaft 26 and will be discussed supra. An intermediate support pillow block 36 provides additional support to the long unsupported span of shaft 26. At the left end of shaft 26 is journal block 37. Both blocks 36 and 37 are anchored to the bottom side of work table 10 by bolts or other equivalent fastening means. A sprocket 38 is rigidly afiixed to the extreme right hand end of shaft 26. A chain drive belt 39 is trained over sprocket 38 and sprocket 40 which is in alignment therewith. Sprocket 40 is fixed to shaft 41 which is also journaled in block 37. Shaft 41 can best be seen in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a view looking up toward the bottom of work table 10. Shaft 41 passes through universal joint 42 and hence through journal block 43. A bottom feed roll 44 is anchored to the end of shaft 41 which extends to the right of block 43.

In a similar manner an additional bottom feed roll 45 is mounted so that it is in axial alignment with roll 44. Bottom feed rolls 44 and 45 are in spaced apart parallel relationship with one another and derive their power from separate shafts for a purpose which will be explained later. Roll 45 is attached to the end of shaft 46 which in turn is journaled in block 47. Shaft 46 proceeds through a universal joint 48 and hence to journal block 35. A sprocket 49 is affixed on the right end of shaft 46 and it is geared to sprocket 50 by chain drive 51.

An additional assembly can be also seen in FIG. 3.

A slide receiving member 52 is attached to work table 10 so that its groove 53 is normal to the surface of 16. A slide member 54 is situated so that tongue 55 is slidably engaged within groove 53 of member 52. Slide member 54 has extending from the body portion thereof two support legs 56 and 57. A cutter support shaft 58 is journaled perpendicularly through legs 56 and 57 as shown. A pulley shaft 59 is firmly attached to the left end of shaft 58. At the extreme end of cutter shaft 58 is mounted a cutter head 60 which is suspended between but not in contact with bottom feed rolls 44 and 45.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of a portion of the machine in the vicinity of cutter head 60. A fragmentary section of shoe sole 11 is shown with rotatable hold down roll 12 resting on the top surface of shoe sole 11. Top feed rolls 13 which are power driven and rotate both in the same direction are shown in abutting relationship against the edge of shoe sole 11. Bottom feed rolls 44 and 45 which are located beneath the work table 10 are shown in dotted lines. It can be clearly seen in FIG. 4 that bottom feed rolls 44 and 45 are parallel to any closely spaced from cutter head 60.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the parts of the apparatus that come in contact with and work upon shoe sole 11. Gear box 14 is shown in the uppermost portion of the drawing. Its adjustability along the arrows shown permits 4 the length of the cut to be varied in sole 11. Top feed rolls 13 have a rough surface as shown thus aiding in the movement of sole 11' through the cutting operation. Hold-down roll 12 and its direction of rotation are shown. An opening 61 in work table 10 permits bottom feed rolls 44 and 45 to have the peripheral edge thereof set so that it is tangential with or slightly above the top surface of work table 10. In this manner rolls 44 and 45 will contact the bottom of sole 11 as at 62. Rolls 44 and 45 rotate so that sole 11 is thrust against top feed rolls 13.111 addition the rotation of hold-down roll 12 is such that it aids rolls 44 and 45 in their task of supplying a constant force through sole 11 to top feed rolls 13. Since roll 12 is positioned so that its plane of rotation is at an angle or askew to the planes of rotation of rolls 44 and 45, its rotation augments the side motion of sole 11 as primarily developed by rolls 13.

As seen in FIG. 5 cutter head 60 is essentially in the form of a disc 63. A cut-out is provided at 64 and a slot 65 is cut in disc 63 so that one face 66 thereof is radially aligned with respect to the center of rotation of shaft '58. A cutting tool 67 is mounted in slot 65 and held in position by screws 68. Tool 67 has a tapered pointed cutting surface 69 and has a cavity 70 which facilitates the removal of rubber chips.

FIG. 6 is a view looking at the edge of sole 11. The excisions made by the high impact characteristics of tool 67 can be clearly seen.

FIG. 7 which is a fragmentary view looking along line 7--7 of FIG. 6 shows how the excisions or wheeling extend from the outer edge of the sole toward the center thereof.

FIG. 8 is a top view which depicts the various patterns that can be achieved by the instant invention. At 71 a pattern consisting of long wide spaced wheeling is shown. The wheeling at 72 is shorter in length and is closer together.

The pattern of wheeling shown at 73 is very short in length and is spaced very close together.

During the operation of the apparatus which has been set forth in detail above, the operator places a shoe sole upon work table 10 with thetop side down. The sole is then moved toward and beneath top hold-down roll 12.

The combined rotation of hold-down roll 12 and bottom feed rolls 44 and 45 immediately thrusts the sole toward powered top feed rolls 13. As the sole'begins to move under the. synchronous action of the various rolls, cutter assembly 60 commences to remove through its impact action small pieces of material from the top edge of the sole which is of course face down on work table 10. As the apparatus progresses around the sole a uniform pattern of wheeling is produced. The spacing of the wheeling can be controlled by varying either the speed of drive mechanism which moves all of the rolls in unison or by varying the speed of the cutter assembly which has its separate power drive. Various sole thicknesses can be accommodated by merely providing more space between the top of work table 10 and hold-down roll 12. This adjustment is readily made by raising or lowering block 29 from which roll 12 is suspended. The universal joint on shaft 28 permits this adjustment without an interruption of power. The entire assembly from the cutting tool 67 to drive pulley 59 can be raised or lowered. The exact mechanism for accomplishing this adjustment is not shown since any one of a variety of adjustment ways could be used equally well. By raising or lowering the cutting tool the depth of cut'can be varied. Also, by adjusting the position of top rolls 13 the length of out can be varied.

Thus it can be determined that the sole wheeling machine is operable with only two external power sources.

By connecting a drive to sprocket 27 all five of the feed rolls will work in unison. A separate power source is used to run the cutter assembly. The machine is quite rapid in its operation and produces clean cut wheeling at evenly spaced intervals around the periphery of the shoe sole. Since all cuts are made from below, variations in sole thickness can be handled without producing any change in the size of the wheeling. An additional advantage inherent in the present invention is that the top side of a sole can be wheeled even though it is attached to an integrally molded heel. Heretofore the heel would have interfered with machines wherein the cutting operation was performed with the top of the sole facing upward and the cutting operation being performed from above.

While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for wheeling the edge of a shoe sole comprising a work table with a smooth top surface, a rotatable cutter having a cutting surface integral therewith, said cutter being mounted below said work table and having an axis of rotation parallel to the top surface of said work table, a plurality of bottom feed rolls mounted below said work table and having their common rotational axis parallel to the axis of said cutter, a plurality of top feed rolls mounted above said work table and having their rotational axes perpendicular to the surface of said work table, an askew feed roll mounted above said work table with its rotational axis parallel to said worktable and angularly disposed with respect to the axis of said cutter, and means for transmitting torque to all of the feed rolls and the cutter.

2. The machine of claim 1 including means for raising and lowering the cutter with respect to the top of the work table so that the depth of cut made in a shoe sole can be varied.

3. The machine of claim 1 including means for adjusting the top feed rolls laterally with respect to the highest point of the are formed by the cutter as it rotates, thus controlling the length of the excision made by the cutter.

4. The machine of claim 1 including means for adjusting the vertical position of the askew roll with respect to the top surface of the work table and the lateral position of said roll with respect to the rotational axes of said top rolls.

5. The machine of claim 1 wherein all of the feed rolls are coupled together from a common power source for synchronous rotation and the cutter is driven from a different power source capable of permitting variable cutting speeds.

6. The machine of claim 1 wherein the means for transmitting torque to all of the feed rolls are mounted on supports attached to the work table.

7. The machine of claim 1 wherein the rotatable cutter is positioned between the bottom feed rolls which rotate in a direction opposite to the rotation of said cutter.

8. The machine of claim 1 wherein the cutter has a single cutting tool.

9. The machine of claim 1 wherein the rotation of the askew roll is such that its force upon a shoe sole augments the urging of the bottom feed rolls and the translative force of the top rolls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

